The program will take place at Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane, Australia). The focus of the course is to learn how to design engineered materials and structures.

Visas

This country is part of the Schengen area. Note that there are strict rules and restrictions for foreign visitors to this area that may impact a student's ability to travel within the region before or after their program, or to attend two subsequent programs in this area. It is critical that the student reviews the information and scenarios here to learn more about Schengen area visa requirements.

Program Description

The program will take place at Queensland University of Technology (Brisbane, Australia). The focus of the course is to learn how to design engineered materials and structures. Students will conduct a research program aimed at designing a wide spectrum of engineered materials and structures, compassing fiber-reinforced composites, origami-based deployable structures, bio-inspired material systems, and artificially fabricated mechanical metamaterials. Students will explore the state-of-the-art technologies in materials and structures and will acquire analytical, computational, and experimental toolsets that will be useful for potential applications in aerospace, biomechanical, civil, and mechanical engineering.

In addition, field trips to research labs (e.g., CSIRO, Boeing, and UNSW in Sydney) and planned social activities in local touristic attractions (e.g., the Great Barrier Reef (Lady Elliot Island) and Springbrook National Park) will provide students with additional perspective on the Australian technology, culture, and ecosystems. The laboratory and fieldwork in the course will expose students to the similarities and differences in technology between their home culture and government and the Australian culture and government.

We anticipate that the exchange of learning and culture will be bi-directional with the students in the program learning about the Australian ecosystems and technology as well as the local communities learning about the breadth of STEM interest among under-represented minority populations in the US. We expect the students will provide the local community with a lasting positive impression of the future direction of technology education in the US.

There will be potential opportunities for under-represented minority and/or female students with academic background in STEM to apply for the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Fellowship from the National Science Foundation ($8,000). U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status required.

LOCATION

Brisbane, Australia

Housing

Quest Apartments- Garden Point or Kelvin Grove site..

ACADEMICS

Prerequisites and Language Requirements

Taking into consideration location of residence and field trips, the students tend to walk to and from QUT and around the city. For those who choose to commute by bus. Passes are made available. Tours through the rainforest and islands and industry tours will include a lot of walking.

Credits

5 UW Credits

Courses

A structure is the core of any engineering product and acts like a skeleton, on which any other components rest. Therefore, a careful design of structure becomes extremely crucial and fundamental in realizing the end goal of any product. To meet the current engineering needs, it is not only sufficient to design a structure as a skeleton of a product, but it has become very important to smartly design a structure with added functionalities. This adds to the complexity of the system, and therefore it has become more important than ever to have a close collaboration of people from diverse background such as engineering, science, and mathematics, to tackle the associated challenges.

The course will cover some of the key examples of such smart structures along with their fundamental design philosophy, hands-on experience, and local industrial tours. For example, composite structures have revolutionized aerospace industry by making it possible to design a stronger aircraft with ultra-light weight – a marvel that could not be achieved with traditional materials. The course will educate students about the key engineering concepts that led to the success of composites, and provide a glimpse of state-of-the-art industrial facilities where researchers are pushing the limits of material design.

The course will also introduce the design philosophy of metamaterials, which are strategically designed structures aimed towards achieving functionalities not seen in conventional structures. For example, origami-inspired foldable and light-weight structures for space and biomedical applications, 3D-printed lattice structures for noise filtering, and topology-inspired structures to have an unprecedented control over the flow of energy in structures. The course would include hands-on experience on metamaterials and demonstrate how a multi-disciplinary collaboration of potential physicists, mathematicians, and engineers could be used to realize an unconventional design.

Learning goals include:
Students will gain fundamental knowledge in the mechanics of materials and structures, basic programming skills in Matlab, and design and prototyping experience of engineered materials and structures with desired mechanical properties. They will be also exposed to the state-of-the-art research progresses in the field of mechanical and topological metamaterials. Hands-on laboratory sessions for programming and prototyping will be carried out in a classroom setting.
NW

October 13, 2018

Program fees will be posted to your MyUW student account and can be paid the same way that you pay tuition and other fees. Check your MyUW Account periodically for due dates.

Financial Aid

A large percentage of UW students utilize financial aid to study abroad. Most types of financial aid can be applied to study abroad fees.

You can submit a revision request to increase the amount of aid for the quarter you are studying abroad. These additional funds are usually awarded in the form of loans. To apply, fill out a revision request form, attach the budget sheet (available via the link at the top of this brochure) and submit these documents to the Office of Student Financial Aid. For more information about this process, consult the Financial Aid section of our website.

Consult the Financial Aid section of our website for more information on applying for financial aid, special considerations for summer and early fall programs, and budgeting and fundraising tips.

Scholarships

There are many scholarships designed to fund students studying abroad. The UW administers a study abroad scholarship program and there are national awards available as well.

Scholarships vary widely in their parameters. Some are need-based, some are location-based, and some are merit-based.

For UW Study Abroad Scholarships fill out a short questionnaire on your UW Study Abroad program application to be considered. You must apply by the priority application deadline for the program in order to be considered for a scholarship. Click the Overview tab to view application deadlines.

APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS

Application Process

The study abroad application includes a personal statement, three short answer questions, one recommendation from a professor or TA, and electronic signature documents related to UW policies and expectations for study abroad. Following the online application process, you may be contacted by the program director for an in-person interview. Once an admission decision has been made regarding your application, you will be notified by the study abroad system via email.

Orientation

To be eligible to study abroad, you must complete the mandatory pre-departure orientation facilitated by UW Study Abroad. You must also attend program-specific orientations offered by the program director.

You must register for the UW Study Abroad orientation. You can visit the Orientation section of our website to view the current schedule and to register for an orientation session.

Orientation must be completed prior to the enrollment deadline for the quarter that you are studying abroad.

Visas

UW Study Abroad is not responsible for obtaining visas for study abroad program participants. The cost and requirements for obtaining visas vary. It is your responsibility to determine visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad including countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program. This is an especially important consideration if you are planning to do more than one study abroad program. You can research visa requirements by calling the consular offices of those countries or checking the following website: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country.html.

Note: If you are not a U.S. citizen, consult the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit to learn their document requirements. You can check the following website to find contact information for the consulate of the country you will be visiting: https://www.state.gov/s/cpr/32122.htm.

For non-U.S. citizens, the procedures that you will need to follow may be different than those for U.S. citizens. It is important to initiate this process as soon as possible in order to assemble documents and allow time for lengthy procedures.

Disability Accommodations

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, and education for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation for this program, contact Disability Resources for Students at least 8 weeks in advance of your departure date. Contact info at disability.uw.edu.

Withdrawals

$350 of the total program fee and the $450 UW Study Abroad Fee are non-refundable once a contract has been submitted. Students withdrawing from a program are responsible for paying a percentage of the program fee depending on the date of withdrawal. More details about the withdrawal policy are included in your payment contract. No part of the program fee is refundable once the program has begun. The date of withdrawal is considered the business day a withdrawal form is received by UW Study Abroad. Notice of withdrawal from the program must be made in writing by completing the following steps:

Provide notice in writing to the program director that you will no longer be participating in the program.